Thursday, February 16, 2023

Picture books for everyone

 

Beware the Blue Bagoo by Karl Newson

The first thing I have to note about this book is that it rhymes. If you've followed my blog for very long you know that I have a fraught relationship with rhyming picture books. They tend to be awkward to read. But Newson handles the structure well. There is no labored text, no lines that sacrifice understanding for the sake of a rhyme. The plot is pretty straightforward, our protagonist searching for the Blue Bagoo in order to prove how dangerous it is since there are warnings about it all over town. Of course, we discover that the Blue Bagoo is nothing like the rumors, proving that assumptions are harmful. The highlight is the illustrations. They remind me somewhat of the Moomin characters. They're a bit odd but in a good way. I could see this one going over well with a wide range of kids.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

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